We'll Start Anew
by Raggedy Dama
Summary: Bilbo gets injured during the battle of five armies and remains unconscious for a few days. When he wakes up, he is surprised to find himself in a luxurious bed, which is at least three times bigger than his own.NOT SLASH. Everyone lives, nobody dies.


**Disclaimer: I don't own 'The Hobbit' or any of the characters.**

**AN: Hello dears. Since I love both the movie and the book…and am very much upset with the ending, I decided to write this AU fic. It takes places after BOFA and everyone lives. I don't have anything against the pairings, but this is a NO SLASH story. Though there'll be a fluffy ending.:) **

**We'll Start Anew**

A golden ray of sunlight had been peeking through the gap in the curtains, before it found its way to Bilbo's face. He tried to ignore the insistent sunbeam and shifted away for a more comfortable position. But the movement only made him hiss out in a sudden pang pain from his side. The hobbit stilled under the heavy covers, not daring to move any further. Bilbo raised his hands and attempted to lean on the headboard, but let go almost instantly. This was most definitely not his bed. Now he was jerking his head from the left to the right haphazardly and taking in his surroundings. His eyes widened in awe.

The room was magnificent. Its walls were painted a rich colour of earth and covered with what Bilbo could only guess were dwarfish symbols. It also had high ceiling and floors of marble. There wasn't much in there, though. Nothing except for the bed and a wooden stool under the window. He figured it was probably because the room had hardly been used before.

Then Bilbo turned his attention to the bed he was lying on and was no less amazed by it. Right now he was in a large king sized bed, that was huge not only for a hobbit, but seemed massive for a dwarf also. The bedhead was made of fine red wood and was engraved in similar illustrations as those on the walls.

Then realization hit Bilbo like a jolt of lightning and he finally considered the question that mattered most at the moment. What had happened? He leaped out of the bed, not minding his bandaged side and all but ran to the door. He reached for the door handle and suddenly hesitated, a dreary feeling washing over him. What if something horrible had happened during the battle? What if any of the members of their company was fatally injured? What if they were…? _'No!' _ he told himself firmly. It couldn't have happened. Just couldn't. They were strong, they should've handled it.

Million questions were running through his mind and no matter how desperately he wanted to get the answers, a nagging at the back of his head prevented him from doing so. What if they didn't want to see him anymore? They had tended to his injuries, yes, but maybe that was all? He would most likely get kicked out as soon as he was better. Bilbo swallowed a lump as he remembered Thorin's harsh words and of his banishment from the new claimed kingdom. He was considered a traitor and the last meeting with the dwarven king, was not a pleasant one. Thorin Oakenshield despised him and in all honesty he didn't have it in himself to argue with that.

Sighing deeply, Bilbo stepped back from the door. He wasn't ready to face whatever was awaiting him. And would probably never be. He rubbed his temple tiredly. His head was pounding terribly and he was resisting the urge to return to the comforts of the bed. Bilbo stopped by the window as he noticed the change in the sky. The little hobbit climbed on the wooden chair and finally had a glimpse of the place. Erebor. Truly, nothing he had ever seen could compare to the beauty he was witnessing now. The city was still being repaired after the battle, but even now it looked no less majestic. At the crack of dawn, the sun peaked out from behind the mountain tops. Before his eyes the clouds were lit with a mixture of yellow and orange colours, as the rising sun announced the arrival of the new day.

But no matter how breathtaking the morning was, Bilbo knew that today was going to be horrible. He had done the unrepairable and now was going to pay for it, that's as much as he could tell.

"Enjoying the view, lad?" a cheery voice said from behind, making Bilbo spin around and almost fall over from his place over the window.

"Balin…" the hobbit let out a relieved breath, trying to straighten his composure.

"Aye, it's me." Balin said with a smile and approached the startled Halfling. "Quite a jump you made. You should mind your injuries or else you'll just worsen your state."

Bilbo flushed at the remark, but it warmed his heart seeing his friend there and in good terms with him. He gasped suddenly.

"Is everybody alright? What happened?" he questioned frantically, while Balin insisted on seeing to his injuries.

"Everybody is well." The older dwarf said with a frown, trying to check the bandages of the overly active hobbit. "_You _gave us a fright though. Have been out for almost a week now."

"What about Azog a-and the armies…"

"The war was won." said Balin with a twinkle in his eye. "Azog defeated."

There were a few minutes of comfortable silence between the two, with Bilbo registering the new information and Balin, who was observing the hobbit with a curious look.

"And…" Bilbo said eventually, clearing his throat. "And what about _him_?"

A knowing look passed the dwarf's features as if he's been expecting that question ever since he entered the chambers.

"Thorin is alright. As good as he can be." He said. "'ve been asking about you, 'cause he couldn't come. There's much work being done with the rebuilding and all."

Bilbo nodded absentmindedly and realized how glad he was that he so happened to meet Balin before anyone else. Especially Thorin. He still wanted to ask about the Arkenstone, to know what had happened to it, but decided against it. Perhaps, it wasn't wise to mention the stone yet. It would only make the matters worse. Balin, as if sensing Bilbo's worries, put an assuring hand on the his shoulder.

"It's good to see you on and about." The dwarf said with an encouraging smile. "I shall tell the others you are already awake. You'll be brought breakfast in half an hour and maybe later if you feel up to it, you'd like to go out for a while."

Bilbo thanked the dwarf with all his sincerity, but when Balin walked out of the door and he closed it after him, the burglar couldn't help but groan. He didn't think he could have any more visitors. Balin was…Well, Balin was Balin. That still didn't mean that the rest of the company would be so forgiving with him. And after all, hadn't they already done more than necessary to a traitor? They had shown proper treatment and care, when they didn't have to. They could've easily left him somewhere on the battlefield to die. Why should've they bothered?

Bilbo Baggins was not an ungrateful hobbit. Quite the contrary, in fact. And he didn't want to be abusing their produced hospitality and welcoming display. He had better left as soon as possible and not have made them feel any more uncomfortable. He understood that it must be uneasy for them to have him there after all of the trouble he had caused.

He paced around nervously, his hands entwined with each other, as he repeatedly fidgeted with his fingers. No. He was absolutely not meeting anybody. It would be better that way for everyone. Not that he was cowering seeing any of his old friends, he was just anxious about being rejected again. Actually he didn't think he would be able to go through it one more time.

As Balin had promised, the breakfast came later, and although Bilbo didn't want to accept the meal since he was not going to stay, he found himself still comparably weak and realized that if he wanted to even get to Dale, he's better eat. The delicious smell of the food wasn't helping either.

After he had ate the half of the offered meal with some difficulty, he thought it time to leave. Bilbo found his clothes packed away smoothly with the rest of his things, in the corner of the room. He checked the pocket of his waistcoat, searching for a certain item and was immensely relieved when his fingers fished out the golden ring. He thought he must've lost it somewhere along the way, but he didn't dwell on it much.

"Well…" he said with a sad smile, to no one in particular. "Time to go back."

The stroll through Erebor went without any incidents, rather pleasant even. He watched with amusement as dwarves went around, minding their businesses, too busy to notice a little Halfling, making his way through the crowd. And Bilbo was thankful for it. He hoped that the dwarves would notice his absence only after he had left the city. What difference would it make any way? Too troubled with the various thoughts flooding his mind, Bilbo didn't even notice how his feet had carried him to the gates. He came to a stop right before them, for a moment forgetting why he was there. Bilbo inhaled sharply. It was true, the last steps were always most hard to take.

What was he going to do now? Return to the Shire and pretend that none of this had ever happened? Engulf himself into his books and maps and tune out everything else? Now that he had seen the world truly, hardly anything in Hobbiton could amaze him anymore. Was he simply going to have supper and go to bed, like it was the most natural thing for him to do? Like he had never slept under the open sky and on hard ground?A tear rolled down his cheek, but he didn't attempt to sweep it away. How was he going to live with guilt? Knowing that the people, who had grown most dear to him, hated him?

Leaving meant that he would possibly never meet the company again. There would be no pranks of the brothers, no reading hours with Ori, no combat trainings with Dwalin. It meant not tasting Bombur's horrible stew, no night shifts with Bofur or decent conversations with Balin. But what hurt the most was that he was leaving with the recognition that him and Thorin were no longer friends.

He shuddered involuntarily at the memory of the dwarven leader. Their parting still bitter to his mind. Bilbo took a calming breath and was prepared to make a very measured step, when a chorus of voices calling for him, made him nearly trip over his own feet.

"Bilbo! Wait up, laddie!" he could hear Balin's cry of concern.

"Mister Baggins!" came Dwalin's booming baritone. He closed his eyes. He didn't remember hitting his head, so why was he hallucinating?

"Hobbit!" It was the familiar impatient roar that did it.

Bilbo turned around slowly, hesitantly and staggered back in surprise. There were the two mentioned dwarves, approaching him and ahead of them was no other than Thorin Oakenshield himself. Before he could recover from the shock of seeing them there, two rough hands had grabbed him by the shoulders and a pair of blazing eyes started running over his body, as if expecting the worse.

"What do you think you're doing!?" the king demanded, shaking the Halfling lightly, as if it would make his point straight.

"I uh-mm.." for a well spoken creature, Bilbo had a hard time explaining his actions. His throat suddenly felt very dry and he could hear the loud thumping of his heart.

"Your wounds are not healed yet, for you to be wandering around so carelessly…" Thorin trailed off, noticing the leather bag on the hobbit's shoulder and frowned. "You are leaving?"

Bilbo opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. What was he hearing?

"I-I…leaving…" he spluttered a few times, before crying indignantly, "You banished me!"

Bilbo paled visibly as an unreadable expression passed Thorin's features. The two other dwarves seemed to be holding their breaths and watching the scene with wide eyes. _'Not good.' _He thought.

"I banished you…" Thorin repeated carefully, as if trying the words on his lips. Then his eyes narrowed at him dangerously.

"And you are leaving!?" he growled angrily.

"B-but you…" Bilbo did a lot of stuttering lately and before he could form a proper sentence, the dwarf continued.

"I shall tell you what I did!" Thorin said, taking a threatening step forward.

"Thorin…" Balin tried to interfere, but the king waved it off.

"_I _told _you _ that you would be a burden…that I didn't need you for this journey. And _you_ came following shortly after." Thorin spat in the same determined manner.

"_I_ told you to stand aside. And _you_ came up with a few brilliant ideas that nearly got yourself killed." He continued, pointing an accusing finger at the the hobbit, his voice now thick with fury.

"At last _you_ gave away the one thing that my family has possessed for hundreds of year, to my enemies!" he snapped, making Bilbo jump on his place slightly.

"When obviously _I_ was not going to be happy about it, to say the least."

A tense silence fell upon them , but Bilbo was too scared to care about answering. He kept his eyes fixed on his feet and tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"You lied." Thorin said coldly. "You betrayed my trust. You stabbed me in the back and now you decide to obey in doing something I barely remember saying?"

Bilbo gulped as the dwarven king came even closer to him and wondered where this strange talk was going.

"Now you're just going to leave _me_ alone to deal with all of the mess that _you've _made?" he looked down crossly at the poor Halfling.

"I…didn't mmean to…" Bilbo clutched at his bag for dear life. "I…sorry…I'll just…" he mumbled weakly and wanted to turn away when two strong arms held him in his place.

"Bilbo…" Thorin heaved a sigh. He wanted to say something else, but soon made up his mind. With a shake of his head, he leaned forward and embraced Bilbo tightly.

"Foolish hobbit." He snorted softly, his chin resting on top of Bilbo's shoulder, much like that time on the cliff. The Halfling soon recovered from the astonishment and returned the hug.

"Stay?" Thorin asked gently, when they pulled away. "Will you stay here…in Erebor?"

But before Bilbo could even open his mouth to speak, he was being tackled by a noisy, dark haired figure.

"Master Burglar!" Kili exclaimed, effectively crushing the hobbit to the ground. "You are awake at last! We thought that we'd lost you!"

Bilbo chuckled heartily upon seeing the young dwarf. Fili was standing not far from them, an equally excited expression on his face.

"I'm glad to see you too, Kili." He answered, while Thorin helped him to his feet, a warm smile playing on his lips.

Fili frowned suddenly and elbowed his brother, gesturing at the travelling bag now lying forgotten between them.

"Master Baggins, you are not leaving, are you?" he asked, furrowing his brows childishly.

"If it is because of Uncle Thorin," Fili said, casting his uncle a skeptical look, "he wants you to remain here. Said so himself. Right, uncle?"

Bilbo watched the scene in front of him with utter bewilderment. Thorin went scarlet, whether from embarrassment or anger, he couldn't tell, and silenced his nephews with his trade mark glare.

"It is not a decision for you to be made." He stated firmly and turned to look at Bilbo expectantly. Almost pleadingly.

"Yes. I will stay…" Bilbo answered with a small nod. "That is…if you want me to." He said, suddenly very shyly.

"I think I was quite clear with my intentions." Thorin frowned, but one could tell that he was greatly relieved by the answer. Now Bilbo couldn't help himself, he burst into a short fit of laughter.

"What?" the king asked, raising an eyebrow at the odd behavior of the hobbit.

"Very clear indeed." Bilibo said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Only you could've come up with a speech that left me wondering, if I was being insulted or praised."

The Durin brothers stifled their laughs, but Thorin only smiled fondly at his shorter friend.

"Fair enough." He said, placing a hand on Bilbo's shoulder. "Now let us get you back, until you have reopened your wounds completely."

"I'm fine." Bilbo rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Of course." Thorin told him, with an obviously fake seriousness.

"Git." He insulted affectionately.

"Always." Came the teasing reply.

**AN: So what do you think? Was it good? Bad? I hope Thorin wasn't too OOC. This was naturally planned to be a one shot story, but I'm thinking on a sequel chapter from Thorin's perspective. What do you say? Let me know. Reviews are very much appreciated. **


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